Remodelistahttp://www.remodelista.com/
enCopyright 2012 SAY Media, Inc.http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssTue, 03 Mar 2015 06:00:00 -0800We've been intrigued by the artful simplicity of the Drift San Jose in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, for a while now—see The Handmade Baja Hotel. Maggie Davis and Vanessa Smith's photographs of the resort for Tiny Atlas Quarterly's Water issue are a reminder: Look no further for the perfect affordable escape.

Tiny Atlas is an online and print publication produced by a Bay Area collaborative of photographers, writers, and artists: "It's where we share all the places we love to travel ourselves, as well as how we see our own backyards." #LOVEmytinyatlas, a show of its Instagram community's work, is currently on view at Alite Designs Outpost in the Mission in San Francisco.

Above L and R: The Drift's American owner Stu Waddell and his local crew designed and built much of the furniture on-site using concrete and leftover wood. He describes the look as "a combination Baja ranch and industrial loft." Photographs by Maggie Davis and Vanessa Smithvia @TinyAtlasQuarterly.

Above: Even the resort's Acapulco chairs are partly homemade: "The steel frames were strung with black twine by our gardener, Benito, who grew up near Acapulco, where his father taught him how to do it." The coffee table is vintage and came from one of Stu's best sources, the Lagunilla Sunday flea market in Mexico City.

SF photographer Maggie Davis, who was recently at the Drift with her girlfriend, calls it "the anti-hotel: somewhere that embraces communal living and building friendships with fellow travelers." Photograph via @TinyAtlasQuarterly.

Above: There are eight rooms, no two alike, but each has a polished concrete floor ("a cool surface that looks warm thanks to its natural coloring," notes Stu), a concrete bed platform that appear to float, and an Acapulco chair. The sheets are 100 percent raw cotton from Bed of Vancouver. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Above: A ledge desk made from a plank of wood. The lucha libre poster came from the Lagunilla flea market in Mexico City. Photograph via @TinyAtlasQuarterly.

Above: "What I loved most about Drift is that so much was custom-made by local artisans," Maggie told Tiny Atlas Quarterly." Even the carafe and glasses in the rooms were hand-blown down the street." To source your own, see 10 Easy Pieces: Bedside Water Carafes. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Above: The hotel's ingenious wall-hung closets are made of welded steel: "Just the right amount of space to hang a hat for a few days," says Stu. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Above: The cast concrete bathtubs are modeled after the water troughs at local ranches. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Above: A concrete shower with a cinderblock ventilation window and a custom rain showerhead made by Solis, the Drift's plumber. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Above: A communal kitchen, set up for guests' use, has a blackboard wall with a map of all the things to see and do in and around San Jose del Cabo. The beach (and surfing and diving) are the focus, but there's also a lively arts scene, and you can hike to a swimming hole with a 40-foot waterfall. Go to Tiny Atlas Quarterly to get the details. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Above: Guests are encouraged to cook their own meals on an Argentine-style grill stocked with mesquite gathered in the desert. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Above: The swimming pool is "made of nothing more than poured concrete," says Stu. "The rustic quality of the concrete reflects light in a more beautiful and honest way than commercial finishes or ceramic tile." Photographvia @TinyAtlasQuarterly.

Above: Clara, the Drift's adopted dog, rests in front of a guest room window that doubles as a door. Photographs via @TinyAtlasQuarterly.

Above: All of the rooms have windows that open to the central courtyard. Photograph via @bajacowboy.

Drift San Jose is located 20 minutes from the Los Cabos International Airport in the downtown art district of San Jose del Cabo, near the tip of the Baja peninsula. Rooms are $75 per night, and are booked through Airbnb. Go to Drift San Jose for more details.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/the-perfect-baja-retreat-75-via-petite-passport-quarterlyTue, 03 Mar 2015 06:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickJin Angdoo Lee and Mathieu Julien, freelance illustrators and artists who operate under the name Amateurs, describe themselves as "a happy couple based in Paris. We are lovers of new discoveries and endless artistic possibilities."

Their wall-hanging Flag for Every Family project is "based on the idea that every home is a micro nation with its inhabitants as its ruler. Therefore, every house needs an emblem." The wall hangings measure approximately 150 by 100 centimeters and are made from hand-dyed, bleached, and natural cotton pieces; they are 800 Euros each.

Above: The Flag for Every Family project consists of six abstract designs.

Above: The Tea Towels project is "a study of shapes in black, white, and blue. Instead of painting on framed canvases, a series of 33 original paintings are painted on handmade linen tea towels with a cotton hook sewn on the back. Each painting varies in size and fabric weight." The tea towels are 70 Euros each; contact Amateurs directly for ordering information.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/flag-wall-hangings-and-tea-towels-by-amateurs-of-parisTue, 03 Mar 2015 04:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonIf you've stayed at the Ace Hotel of Shoreditch, London, with interiors by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby of Universal Design Studio, you're probably still reminiscing about the effortless cool of your surroundings. Barber and Osgerby, along with the Ace Hotel team, extended the laid-back Pacific Northwest vibe of the original Ace to the UK location, with a few updates: indigo patchwork, perforated metal storage cabinets, a custom raw denim headboard, and chalky black ceilings.

Ready to move in permanently? Re-create the look with the following elements.

Above: The rooms are set up for living as well as sleeping. The floors are finished in low-pile carpeting from UK company Brockway.

Above: A few carefully placed industrial elements keep the look subtle throughout the hotel. Note the handy headboard pocket for the remote.

Above: The Peterson Sofa by District Eight Design has a reclaimed hardwood frame with cast-iron adjustable feet and cream cushions; £2,950 ($4,537) from Such & Such. Another option? Pull out the power tools for a DIY: Instant Built-In Day Bed.

Above: Simple Burlap Throw Pillows in a deep mustard yellow are available in a 20-by-20-inch square (shown) and a rectangular lumbar size; $67.95 each through Zazzle.

Above: Bedroom quilts were custom made by A.P.C. using denim and fabric scraps from past collections; a limited number are available from A.P.C. in London. The Atlantic Pillow is hand-stitched in royal blue over a padded lining and is $125 at A.P.C.; read more about the quilt project in our previous post, Piecing Together an A.P.C. Quilt.

Above: Available at the Ace Hotel shop, the Ace Hotel x Billykirk "Change Is Good" Tray is made of vegetable-tanned leather that's molded and hand-stitched. Used at Ace Hotel in New York at the front desk, the trays also work well on a nightstand; $35.

Above: The Lampe Gras Model 304 Sconce Lamp has a cast steel body with a chrome (shown) or black or white powder-coated finish for $360 from Design Within Reach.

Above: DIY a fabric-covered headboard (including a pocket) like the Ace does using Vintage Selvedge Denim Fabric sourced on Etsy; $75 for two yards from Antique Jewelry Supply (find more by searching for denim fabric).

Above: For an Ace sleeping experience at home, the Suite Sleep x Ace Hotel Mattress is made of 100 percent natural latex rubber with wool batting and an organic cotton cover. Prices start at $1,749 for the twin mattress through Suite Sleep.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/steal-this-look-a-room-at-the-ace-hotel-in-shoreditch-londonTue, 03 Mar 2015 02:00:00 -0800Alexa HotzHow to bring a vacation vibe home? Install one (or a group) of these festive woven hanging lights designed and offered by two very different sources.

Above L: The Eperara-Siapidara L-B line, is €250 ($279.50) from PET Lamp and includes the lampshade, electrical parts, and 1 1/2 meters of cloth-covered cable. Above R: The Eperara-Siapidara L-C is €250 ($279.50). The collection is named for the Eperara-Siapidara people of northwest Colombia who have a long weaving tradition. All of the designs are available in a range of colors.

Low

Above: The handmade Frida and Diego pendant lights from CB2 are made of palm fiber that's hand-dyed and braided by craftsmen in southern Mexico. See the work that goes into each light here.

Above: Both Christine and Francesca are Rimowa devotees: "An architect friend introduced me to the line (very expensive but worth the investment," Francesca says. "We were traveling in Italy and all was fine until we got to Venice; there I was, lugging my duffle bag as she glided along with her Rimowa. I've been a convert ever since." Rimowa Salsa Air Ultralight Cabin Multiwheel Carry-On; $475 from Zappos.

Above: Sarah loves her Lipault Paris Trolley, made from water-resistant twill nylon with four multidirectional, 360-degree-rotation wheels; $200 in purple from Flight 001. "It fulfills two key needs, other than looking good: It's lightweight and expandable. I like to travel light but also have room to bring something back that I might have spotted on my travels."

Above: Gardenista editor Michelle is devoted to her Alpha 2 Continental Expandable Two-Wheeled Carry-On from Tumi; "I can pack a week's worth of clothes," she says; $675 from Tumi. (N.B. The Alpha 2 is also a favorite with our friends at Gear Patrol; they like the new 360-degree skate wheels and expandable storage sections.)

Above: I've been using the polycarbonate Victorinox Extra Capacity Carry-On for the past couple of years (it saved my life during the Remodelista book tour); $239.99 from Amazon. I second this customer review on Amazon: "Super lightweight; glides smoothly right alongside me while I'm walking or I can pull it behind me if I need to. I don't know how I ever used a traditional pull-behind-me rollerboard suitcase now that I have this."

Above: Margot likes the lightweight Hideo Feather Trolley, made of waterproof-coated nylon and available in black or blue; $235 from Flight 001.

Above: Izabella, who travels frequently between her native Sweden and the US, swears by the Eagle Creek line: "We've used Eagle Creek luggage for several years now and wouldn't buy anything else. Excellent quality and great storage and packing solutions. For short trips I like the Travel Gateway Upright 22; $200 from Eagle Creek.

Above: We're all intrigued by this offering, currently on sale at Flight 001: The carry-on Spacepak Suitcase allows you to organize and compress two weeks' worth of clothes into "one cabin-friendly case." Bonus points for the exterior padded laptop case; $195, marked down from $325. (Any of our readers have any experience with this bag? We'd love to hear.)

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/10-favorites-editors-wheeled-carry-on-luggage-picksMon, 02 Mar 2015 06:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonI've been following NYC-based Yolanda Edwards's Instagram feed (@yolandaedwards) for a while now; she's the creative director at Conde Nast Traveler, so I figured I'd discover some good insider-y travel tips along the way (her husband, photographer Matthew Hranek (@wmbrownproject) is another good one to follow). Best find so far: Guana Island, a serene and perfectly private retreat in the British Virgin Islands.

Guana is an 850-acre private island with seven beaches and a handful of cottages and villas for rent. Since 1975, the island has been owned and operated by Henry and Gloria Jarecki (they bought it from another adventurous couple, Beth and Louise Bigelow of Massachusetts, who took ownership of the island in the 1930s and lived in a tent before building six stone cottages for their friends and fellow artists to visit). It's laid-back, but not too laid-back: "Rooms have no TVs or telephones and cell phones may not be used within the sight or earshot of other guests. Guests who wear a bathing suit to breakfast or lunch are requested to wear a cover-up as well. In the evenings, dress is smart casual (slacks, sport shirts, dresses, skirts, or pants)." Sounds perfect.

Above: "Not sure what you call the room where guests have cocktail hour at 6:30, play games after dinner, read during the occasional tropical storm, and meet up with new friends to discuss the night tarpon fishing, but this is where that—and more—happens," via @yolandaedwards.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/paradise-found-in-the-bviMon, 02 Mar 2015 04:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonOur Instagram feed has been torturing us all winter with the daily tales of other people's tropical getaways. This week, we're taking a series of vicarious vacations. And we want to see your own travel discoveries. Tag them #RemodelistaTravels on Instagram—on Friday, we'll publish a reader roundup on Remodelista.

Above: A perfect souvenir from Morocco, this week's Furniture find stands ready to be used indoors or out.

Thursday

Above: On Thursday, in Hotels & Lodging, Elizabeth Roberts of Ensemble Architecture, DPC leads us to her favorite island destination (not coincidentally, it's designed and owned by an architect). And in Remodeling 101, Janet explores the appeal of polished concrete floors, a material now having its day in the sun not just in tropical places.

Friday

Above: Been anywhere great looking lately? Share your travel finds with us. Use the hashtag #RemodelistaTravels to tag your adventures on Instagram. On Friday, we'll be spotlighting your finds.

It's also Instagram Inspiration week at Gardenista. Use the hashtag #GardenistaTravels to show off gardens from around the world—and watch for the most memorable shots to appear on Gardenista.

Expat Gathering Spot

Above: Island enclave Sentosa Cove is home to lots of expats, and their coffee and fresh juice place of choice is the kid-friendly Kith Cafe. In addition to a roomy main space (with lots of indie magazines), there’s a huge terrace. Photograph via Kith Cafe on Petite Passport.

Hidden Gem

Above: The best city discoveries are always a bit hidden. Ronin doesn't have a website or telephone number, and its easy-to-miss entrance is on a quiet street. But when you find it, you enter a world of coolness. The concrete-and-wood interior is lit only by small lightbulbs, and the coffee and sandwiches are excellent. Photograph via Ronin on Petite Passport.

The Bike Shop Cafe

Above: Wheeler's Yard is also not easy to find: Take a cab and you'll arrive at a huge old garage that's a combination bike store and cafe. (In truth, though Singapore is trying to become a bike-friendly city, only daredevils are on the streets right now.) Join them in Wheeler's Yard for a coffee break while you admire the handmade bikes. Photograph via Wheeler's Yard on Petite Passport.

Talk of the Town Coffee

The best-known coffee in Singapore is Papa Palheta, which has a roastery in the same building as the supercool CSHH Coffee Bar. The space was formerly a hardware store, but now you can treat yourself to a specialized coffee made, of course, with Papa Palheta’s beans. Coffee tastings take place here too, and there's a coffee store worth checking out upstairs. Photograph via Chye Seng Huat Hardware Singapore on Petite Passport.

Green Oasis

Above: The place to go to if you're looking for some tranquillity? Longstanding favorite PS Cafe is surrounded by trees and grass in Dempsey Hill. From the terrace, as you sip your coffee (be sure to pair it with the chocolate fudge cake), you see nothing but greenery. Photograph via PS Cafe Singapore on Petite Passport.

Above: Does this chair remind you of something? It should. It was inspired by a diving board.

Tips on how to style your nightstand from Estee Stanley, One King's Lane's editor at large.

Instagram and Pinterest Picks of the Week

Been anywhere interesting—and well-designed? We're devoting next week on Remodelista to Instagram Adventures, ways out of the cold inspired by our Instagram feed. And we'd love to see your best travel finds. Use the hashtag #RemodelistaTravels to tag your adventures on Instagram. We'll repost our favorites on Remodelista next Friday.

Above: Blogger Céline Navarro's Travel board is filled to the brim with great getaway ideas.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/current-obsessions-worldwide-wanderlust-february-28-2015Sat, 28 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Remodelista TeamWe discovered interior designer Carmella Rayone McCafferty via her 13-foot-wide kitchen with ingenious faux soapstone counters and a place for everything. On her blog Assortment, Carmella chronicles life for her family of five in their 665-square-foot cabin in Wyoming, and writes about "living smaller in order to live larger."

After looking inside her clockwork cupboards—and hearing about how she and her husband, Russ, a pilot, and their sons, who are 11, 13, and 15 and homeschooled, happily coexist in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house—we asked her to fill us in on how to achieve the clutter-free life. Carmella stresses that she's not a minimalist: "What we do is live simply, because we've discovered we're able to enjoy the good things in life more when we own less." Here's her deprivation-free approach.

Above: If only all campers were this pretty. After selling their four-bedroom house in Florida in 2013, Carmella and clan moved to a rental in Wyoming and then spent seven months in a camper while their cabin was being built. "Camper living gave us a sense of how small we could go and still be comfortable," she says. "There's something profound about being set in a place that forces you to define so carefully who you are and what you actually need to fully live." Photograph of a restored 1954 Airstream Flying Cloud Travel Trailer via HomeDSGN.

Step 1: Envision your essentials by packing for a two-week trip in a camper.

"People think they have to give it all up and have one spoon and one fork to achieve the simpler life. In truth, what you need to do is figure out what's important to you. A good way to begin is to actually pack up your family—or create packing lists—for what you'd need to live in a camper. Start by defining the basics: plates, bowls, cups, clothes, towels, beds, lamps, soap, toothbrushes. Then widen the circle of inclusion by adding the things each of you really want, the extras that make your life sing: favorite books, games, hobby supplies, art, rugs, pillows. But select these items being mindful of a lack of space. What really matters to you will start to become clear."

Not into roughing it? Here's another exercise Carmella recommends: "Imagine that you have to leave your house forever with only a moment’s notice—what would you take with you? Imagine that you have three hours’ notice—now, what would you take? Imagine that you have one day’s notice—which of your things would make the cut? This is a bit extreme, and I hope it won’t become a real-life scenario for any of us, but it brings out definite answers where once there were question marks."

Above: The McCafferty's 665-square-foot cabin was custom-built to Carmella's exacting specs. An avid cook and baker, she inventoried all of her kitchen essentials, jettisoned the excess (allowing in a few extras, including three different rolling pins), and then designed a place for everything. Explore all the details and check out her ingenious over-the-fridge baking pan storage in our post A Low-Cost Cabin Kitchen for Five.

Step 2: Go room by room and weed out the nonessentials.

After envisioning small-space living and what would make the cut, get down to work in each part of your house. Carmella notes that the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and wardrobe are what require forensic treatment. Here's her solution for each.

Kitchen: "Make a list of the things you know you need based on how you cook. You'll discover, as I did, that you own an amazing amount of unnecessary items. Keep a few meaningful extras (I have a weakness for rolling pins) and give the rest away. I used to have two sets of plates and flatware; now I have one. I decided to go for all-white dishes that I love and that always look beautiful. They can be layered with vintage salad plates—but you don't need to keep grandma's 20 place-setting china; hold on to just the salad plates or a few settings. How many mugs does a family of five need? I decided eight, all white. I also have one set of nesting bowls, three covered baking dishes, three pots and three pans in different sizes, one each of the basic cooking tools (like spatulas and slotted spoons)—and not much more." The family's cloth napkins are stowed in a basket—Carmella had an artist on Etsy monogram metal rings for each family member so napkins can be used until they're dirty and get swapped out. She has room on her shelves for one more platter and is on the lookout for an amazing cutting board: "I'd swap my Homegoods cutting board for it. You have to weigh things out: Think quality over quantity."

Bathroom: Are too many dirty towels keeping you from clarity? Carmella's family has only one bath towel per person ("I wash them each week and back they go. Guests get a towel and facecloth hung on a heavy wire hanger, a movable towel rod of sorts that fits right on the curtain rod.") For drying hands, she keep two hand towels: one hangs in the bathroom and gets replaced midweek. As for toiletries, there's a cabinet that holds the essentials—toothbrushes, toothpaste, extra rolls of TP, Band-Aids, painkillers, and an extra bar of soap. "We don't keep extras; when our bottle of shampoo is emptyish, I buy another."

Bedroom: How many sets of sheets does a person need? One set per bed does the trick for Carmella—and no linen closet. "I have extra pillowcases tucked in between the mattresses—they're our travel pillowcases, because I don't like my white pillowcases going out into the world." She keeps an extra set of sheets for guests—"the sleeper sofa in the living room always has fresh bedding on it." And she keeps a spare quilt in a suitcase in the master bedroom for when one of her kids wants to sleep on the floor or build forts. (Bedrooms, according to Carmella, needn't only contain a bed: Take a look at the photos below to see what else she incorporates.)

Wardrobe: What do most people have the most of? "Clothes are the first thing that comes to mind," says Carmella. "I used to work in fashion as a buyer, so I've seen how much people accumulate. I went from a walk-in closet to 16 inches of hanging rod space and some drawers." To whittle down what you need, pack for that two-week trip, she advises: "Think about it—you always pack your favorites. That's my total wardrobe." As for her husband: "He keeps a minimal wardrobe on his own; his junk drawer is a single cigar box." And for her boys, who share a room, each has four wooden apple crates for clothes that they stow under their beds plus a shared wardrobe closet. Each boy also has a "fun pack"—a catchall crate for squirreling away whatever they like.

Above: Carmella devised a knife rack at the back of the stove. And since there's space, she allowed herself to exceed what she considers the three essentials: a chef's knife, paring knife, and bread knife.

Step 3: Create a place for everything (and make it easy to reach).

If you haven't already detected, Carmella is a staunch believer in creating order via storage. Her cabin is replete with clever built-ins, and she knows where everything belongs, down to the pinecones and fossils gathered on family outings (living room shelf and budding geologist son's "fun pack," respectively). "With kids, the key is to make storage accessible and easy. We have one basket for all the trains and one basket for the Legos. I don't label; I just keep things easy and within reach."

For parents with young kids, she advises "Only have a few toys available at one time; rotate them out. It helps so much with clutter and it keeps kids interested."

Whether it's basement shelves, a pantry, or, in Carmella's case, a shed, it helps enormously to have a place to exile the overflow. The shed that stands outside the family's cabin holds, among other things, big boxes for the boys' sports equipment, a giant bag of flour, a potting bench and work bench, the family's camping, fishing, and ski equipment, and beach towels rolled up in a tote bag. In the center, a pair of bookcases hold the boys' schoolbooks, so, they too don't start piling up. Also in the shed: a box or two of items classified as "Stay or Go?": "Over time the answer for each becomes clear: If you haven't gone rooting for these things, chances are you don't need them."

Above: In the compact master bedroom, his and hers narrow closets take the place of bedside tables. The round mirror makes the space seem larger.

Above L: The cupboards have built-in storage niches. Above R: Carmella's desk, aka the One-Drawer Wonder was found at the Salvation Army for $1; it fits perfectly between the two wardrobes, one of which hides a stacked washer/dryer and the other Carmella's sewing machine.

Above: A view of the sleeping loft that the three sons share. Each has a curtained-off bed and work area (the drafting table belongs to the son who likes to draw).

Above: Carmella put the slim space above the boys' closet to use as an electronic console storage niche for the shared computer, PS3, and DVR, as well as the router and modem.

Step 5: Always, always clean up before moving on to your next activity.

How is it possible to keep the mess from creeping in? And for five people to find breathing room in so little space? Carmella's cardinal rule is that things must be put away at the end of every activity. And because there's an easy-to-reach place for everything, that almost always happens. True, the boys' football helmets often land under their beds, but little else falls outside the designated lines.

Above L: For the lone bathroom, Carmella chose a pedestal sink "for the classic style as well as the visual room it affords." Above R: "We’ve found that using hooks instead of towel bars is a great trick for saving space and for making it easier for the boys to hang their towels (this worked especially well when they were little and towel bars would have been impossible for them).

Step 6: Whenever new goods come in, give some old goods the boot.

Ready for a new pair of jeans? If they're better than what you've got, bring them in and give away a pair. Apply this rule to everything. And make your purchases mindfully: "When there's a need to buy something, we buy with quality in mind. I often research what's available, single out the best version, and then see if I can find it on eBay or Craigslist. I’ve done this with everything from clothes to light fixtures. It’s a great way to reuse and support the seller if you don’t have the means or desire to pay retail."

Above L and R: In the entry, a bentwood coatrack holds Carmella's purse (where she always keeps her keys in the outside pocket) and her husband's hats. The other hooks stand ready for guests; the family's own coats and shoes are stored in parents' and kids' closets, each of which have custom metal boot trays that "fit the closets perfectly and keep mud and snow contained." The stair leads to the boys' bunk.

Step 7: Live by the William Morris edict: "Have nothing in your house that you don't know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."

"A lifestyle of simplicity is ongoing," says Carmella. "We have a perpetual donation box to contain the skimmings of life that need to go. Above all, be mindful of what you bring through your door: Is it useful? Is it beautiful? Do you really need it?"

Read more of Carmella's wisdom and tour each of the rooms in her house at Assortment. Intrigued by cabin living? See the first in a series of cabin plans that she's been working on and learn about them here.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/the-no-cost-remodel-carmellas-7-step-plan-to-clutter-free-living-carmella-rayone-of-assortmentFri, 27 Feb 2015 08:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickThis week, Gardenista is in pursuit of the power of scent. A sensory bonus: Fragrant gardens are as easy on the eyes as they are on the nose.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/trending-on-gardenista-the-power-of-scentFri, 27 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Remodelista TeamChoosing dish soap for me boils down to a question of economy vs. ecology. According to The Naturally Clean Home, most commercial soaps are not soaps at all but harsh detergents "made from petroleum distillate, a toxic and nonrenewable resource." Eek. The more environmentally friendly soaps, on the other hand, are often expensive. What's an eco-conscious, design-minded individual on a budget to do? Make your own.

Turns out it's easy and fun. Plus you can customize your concoction with the scent and container of your choice.

Photography by Justine Hand for Remodelista.

Above: Most of the ingredients for making dish soap are readily available at your local grocery and health food store. The key to reducing cost is to buy in bulk. The products below cost about $57, which seems like a lot until you considered how long they last. And most can be used for making other homemade cleaning products as well, such as dishwasher or laundry powder.

20 drops essential oil. I used pink grapefruit from Cambridge Naturals, my local store. NOW also makes grapefruit oil; $6.89 for 1 ounce at Whole Health.

Note: Many dish soap recipes call for vinegar, but vinegar shouldn't be combined with castile soap. Because soap is a base, it reacts against acids such as lemon or vinegar, effectively canceling out the benefits of both and leaving you with a lumpy mess. (Read more here.)

Instructions

Step 2: Add castile soap (a natural cleaning agent made from coconut or olive oil that is both renewable and biodegradable).

Step 3: Add glycerin (a natural solvent and softening agent) and essential oil. In addition to adding a nice scent to your dish soap, some essential oils have antibacterial properties. Here's a list of the Top 5 Green Cleaning Oils.

Note: I could go on for a while about essential oils. (If you're curious, Crunchy Betty provides a comprehensive tutorial.) But I'll just stick to the basics. First, make sure you use pure essential oils, not aromatherapy oils, which have been diluted with a carrier oil. Second, a word of caution: Essential oils are highly concentrated and can irritate your skin if you use too much, so stick to the recipe. Finally, because they smell "yummy," it's recommended that you keep them out of reach of children.

Step 4: Place in the container of your choice—I recycled a water bottle—and you're done.

Last touched in the 1970s, this apartment in Paris's 19th Arrondissement was, according to architect Lina Lagerstrom, of Septembre, "divided into a lot of small rooms and in very bad shape." The owners, a young family of four, called in Lagerstrom, fellow Septembre architect Dounia Hamdouch and their team to create an open kitchen/living room in Scandinavian style with birch plywood, white paint, and a hint of mint.

Above: The remodel was done for a creative couple, Sabine and Alexis—she's a graphic designer, he's a writer/comedian—who wanted a combination of "bright, lively, and cozy." Birch ply cabinetry defines the kitchen from the rest of the room, and the walls, ceiling, and floor are white ("painted floors are unusual; Parisians are used to their oak parquet," says Sabine).

Above: The carpentry is the work of Fred de Gasquet of FredFabric. The tall cupboards (which hide the fridge) surround the door to the bathroom.

Above: The low perch dividing the kitchen and living area is a storage space with a removable wooden top for bottles of wine and water. Mint subway tiles and red light cords provide the requested color. See our post on Zangra for similar pendant lights.

Above: A trio of mismatched chairs surround the marble-topped table. The white beam was a surprise during construction: "We found a bearing post in one of the walls we planned to demolish," explains Sabine. "It was a big deal at first, but we got used to it. We even like it."

Above: The double-exposure windows overlook the rooftops of the Right Bank. Sabine's final word: "It's a great place to cook while watching the kids—well-conceived and functional. And from the sofa, it offers a great view."

Above: Septembre's plans show the bedrooms and bath off the kitchen and the spiral stairs to the roof.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/compact-scandi-style-plywood-kitchen-in-paris-by-septembre-architectsFri, 27 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickAs Remodelista's resident paint palette expert, I've spent a lot of time in the past year researching paints. If you're like me, you might be a bit confused about volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paint. To get a handle on the issue, I decided to turn to the experts for help decoding all the information that's floating out there. Here's our report on what you need to know about VOCs in paint.

Above: I have a lot of extra paint lying around from Remodelista posts on recommended Paint Colors.

What are Volatile Organic Compounds, and why are they in paint?

VOCs are carbon-containing chemicals that are labeled "volatile" because they evaporate easily at room temperature, thereby entering the air we breathe. To learn more, I called up Dr. Steven Fedder, a senior lecturer in chemistry at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California (he's the professor who instilled in me a lifelong interest in environmental chemistry). According to Fedder, VOCs can be naturally produced by plant and animal processes or manufactured by humans. Some of the better known VOCs are benzene (in cigarette smoke), formaldehyde (in building materials), and toluene, xylene, acetone, methylethyl ketone, and ethyl acetate (in paint).

According to Shari Steber (owner of Timber Pro Coatings, an eco-friendly stain manufacturer based in Portland, Oregon), the biggest contributors to VOCs in paints and stains are chemical solvents (the materials that enable the other ingredients to blend together) and the chemical driers (the materials that allow the product to dry).

Above: White enamel paint from my DIY post on How to Refinish a Bathtub—likely the most toxic household project I've ever undertaken.

What are the health risks?

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, health risks of exposure to VOCs include eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, memory impairment, and nausea. Not to mention damage to the liver, kidney, and central nervous system. The EPA also notes that some VOCs are either suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. One common side effect of VOCs is sick building syndrome (SBS), or reports of breathing problems and respiratory irritations experienced by the occupants of a new or newly renovated building.

"There's no question that the VOCs in paint and spray paint are toxic," Fedder says. "It just depends on which compound you're talking about, since they vary in toxicity."

Is paint the only source of VOCs?

Not even close. The US EPA cites a slew of VOC-containing products, including cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, and office equipment (such as copiers and printers, correction fluids, and permanent markers).

If they're toxic, why aren't VOCs regulated?

It's a complicated situation: "Every state has different rules and regulations on what the allowable VOCs are," Steber says. "Los Angeles County has some of the strictest VOC regulations in the country due to their air pollution issues. But I've noticed when traveling there that retailers are selling exterior stains in LA County that are illegal to use there."

How can I find out whether my paint contains VOCs, which compounds, and how much it contains?

A complete toxicity review is available for all pure chemical compounds manufactured and sold in the US, contained in each product's material safety data sheet, or MSDS. If you've never looked for the MSDS, start paying attention and you'll see it attached to many chemical products sold online. If it isn't, ask the company for it.

Unfortunately, the MSDS is not the last word, and both MSD sheets and regulatory information can be confusing. Says Steber: "Just to refresh myself, I went online this afternoon to see what's happening in the Southern California coastal area, where they have some of the strictest VOC allowable levels in the country, and the information I found was confusing even to me, an industry professional."

Even more disappointing? According to chemist Monona Rossol of the nonprofit Arts, Crafts, & Theater Safety, MSD sheets and accompanying information may still neglect to list everything you need to know. In her book The Health and Safety Guide for Film, TV, and Theater, published in 2011 and now in its second edition, Rossol writes, "The technical definition of a VOC is any chemical that 'participates in atmospheric photochemical reactions.' However, many solvents, such as acetone and ethyl acetate, react negligibly in the atmosphere. These are called 'exempt compounds' and are not labeled as VOCs."

In other words, some VOC measurements include all VOCs emitted from a product into the immediate air environment, while other measurements include only those VOCs that are regulated to control smog levels. Therefore, acording to the EPA, "VOC labels and certification programs may not properly assess all of the VOCs emitted from the product, including some chemical compounds that may be relevant for indoor air quality. This is especially true of most wet products, such as paints or adhesives that may be labeled as 'low-VOC' or 'zero-VOC.' "

Are there VOC-free paints?

Above: Mythic paint of New Jersey claims to be completely VOC-free.

It's open to debate. As with all industries requiring regulation, reporting standards are imperfect. And if you consider Rossol's argument that "low-VOC" or "no-VOC" products only address a limited range of compounds, it becomes even murkier. (We're not suggesting that any one company is intentionally misleading consumers; we're pointing out that the definition of "low" and "no" can be open to interpretation.)

For instance, Mythic paint says its products contain "zero-toxins, zero-carcinogens, and zero-VOCs." I spoke with someone at Mythic (who declined to be quoted) and he said that their paints are absolutely zero VOC. He noted that unlike its competitors, Mythic's base and tints are both completely free of VOCs, whereas several competitors still use high-VOC tints even if their base product is low- or no-VOC.

Consumer Reports tested Mythic and several other "VOC-free" paints in 2009—the latest year for which we could find independent testing data—and found VOCs in all of them. However, Consumer Reports adds this cautionary note about its findings: "Those test results could reflect an inherent flaw in [the test], which has been known to yield high error rates in paints with no or low levels of VOCs."

What are the best paint choices?

Latex-based paints will always have lower levels of VOCs than oil-based paints. Beyond that, go as low-VOC as you can.

Here are some numbers for interior wood stains, courtesy of Sheri Steber: "When we first started manufacturing back in the early 1990s, 'low-VOC' was 350 grams per liter and it took fifteen or more years to get it down to 250 gpl. Personally, I don't consider 250 gpl to be very low anymore; I think the maximum allowable VOC content should be lowered to 150 gpl." (For reference, the VOC levels in Sheri's company Timber Pro's products range from zero to 86 gpl.)

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/remodeling-101-everything-you-need-to-know-about-vocs-in-paintThu, 26 Feb 2015 08:00:00 -0800Meredith SwinehartSpotted (and admired) at Lost & Found in Los Angeles: a new line of bath towels made from botanically dyed, organic cotton by cult Japanese brand Evam Eva (a clothing line better known for its fine organic cashmere knitwear). Unlike more familiar Japanese towel lines (the thin, cotton-backed Yoshi towels, for instance), the towels are fluffy with a more robust weight.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/organic-plant-dyed-towels-from-japanThu, 26 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonI first discovered binchotan charcoal when I lived in Japan, where it's been used for centuries both for cooking at home and for its purification and restorative properties. Made from oak branches that are fired in ceramic kilns at very high temperatures, binchotan is created when the kiln flames are rapidly smothered in dirt, carbonizing the wood. It was widely used in Japan before World War II, but with the advent of gas cooking, it declined in popularity until recently. Over the past decade, binchotan charcoal has been enjoying a renaissance both in Japan and overseas, with proponents touting its deodorizing and purifying virtues.

I've been using it at home since I came across Danish company Sort of Coal's products with clean, modern packaging. According to Sort of Coal, "What's fascinating about binchotan is its extreme porosity. It's filled with countless micro cavities, which means it efficiently absorbs impurities from water, air, and even skin." Here are 10 easy ways you can benefit from binchotan charcoal in the home.

1. Water Purifier: Add a stick to a carafe of water and you have an instant filter. It also has the health benefit of releasing minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron into the water. Before you use the charcoal for the first time, you must rinse it, then place in boiling water for 10 minutes and allow to cool before adding to a carafe. The charcoal stays hard without discoloring the water and its highly porous surface makes it an effective purifier, removing chemicals and toxins from water. One stick will last for around three months if you boil it on a weekly basis.

2. Rice Additive: Inserting a piece of binchotan into a pot of rice during the cooking process will absorb impurities in the water and help retain the taste of the rice. (Note: The binchotan should be washed in the same way as mentioned above.)

3. Toxin Remover: We tend to obsess about the impurities in the water we drink, but seem to forget that we bathe in the same water. Adding a stick of binchotan to the bath will remove impurities. Place in the tub as is or put in a muslin bag and add to bath. The far infrared rays in the charcoal will also enhance blood circulation, proponents say.

4. Air Purifier: Binchotan is believed to contain negative ions, which it releases into the atmosphere. Place a couple of sticks in a jar by your bed for a deeper night's sleep.

5. Damp Defier. Place a piece of binchotan in a cupboard or a drawer to absorb dampness. Be sure to dry out and air the stick in sunlight every few weeks. One stick should last three years if cared for properly. If you would rather have your charcoal packaged, the Container Store sells the bamboo charcoal bags shown above.

6. Dental Hygiene Defender: Toothbrushes made with binchotan charcoal blended into each bristle give off negative ions and are helpful for removing plaque and preventing bad breath. The Binchotan Charcoal Toothbrush is available from Rikumo for $7.

7. Electromagnetic Wave Absorber: Worried about electromagnetic waves from computers, microwaves, and mobile phones? Placing a piece of binchotan nearby will absorb these waves in a room, according to Sort of Coal, which says, "Binchotan works as a balancing factor for body and mind through the flood of negative ions it emits, which turns nearby metals magnetic."

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/domestic-science-10-ways-to-use-binchotan-japanese-charcoalThu, 26 Feb 2015 04:00:00 -0800Sarah Lonsdale"Cycle, travel, and good things," the motto of the Onomichi U2 complex in Hiroshima, Japan, doesn't begin to cover what awaits bicyclists who peddle up to the giant seafront warehouse. Located in the town of Onomichi—and comprising a futuristic cycle-through hotel, a restaurant/bar, bakery, cafe, and shops—the new enclave is situated at the head of the Shimanami Kaido, a scenic 70K trail that leads across bridges and islands. But you might want to just stay put.

Above: The complex occupies what had been a drab 1943 maritime structure on the Seto Inland Sea reinvented by local architecture firm Suppose Design Office.

Above: Wintery planters flank an entry.

Above: The check-in desk looks formal, but bikers are welcome to peddle right up. Photograph by Toshiyuki Yano.

Above: The cavernous interior has restaurants and shops at one end and hotel rooms at the other. "Our building materials, wood, mortar, and steel, recall the old houses of Onomichi and the shipbuilding that's been such a longstanding tradition here," the architects write, adding that they were after "the discovery of newness in a place long established."

Above: Molly made her clock from easy-to-source craft store components and acrylic paint.

Above: Materials for the clock include a Round Wood Clock Face ($11.15 on Amazon for a 14-inch example made of Baltic birch), a Clock Quartz Movement Kit ($6.11 on Amazon, but Molly says you might want to spring for one that's less bulky), and painter's tape. Total for materials rings in at about $25, less if you already have paint and brushes.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/diy-color-blocked-wall-clock-by-molly-madfis-of-almost-makes-perfectWed, 25 Feb 2015 08:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickBuilding on more than half a century of success, String, the innovative modular shelving series from Sweden, has expanded into furniture.

Originally designed in 1949 by Swedish architect Nils Strinning, String is a system of flexible shelving units that can be configured to fit any space. Starting in 2013, String introduced a line of complementary furniture pieces designed by architects Anna Von Schewen and Björn Dahlström. The first in the series is a collapsible table, which when not in use folds neatly back into the unit. And the company keeps unveiling new components to the system.

Above: Utterly adaptable, String Shelves (shown here in white and birch) come in a number of sizes and finishes that can be reconfigured to suit your setup and decor. Available in the UK at Haus London, the components start at £75 ($116) for a three-pack of shelves. Pocket Shelving is also available in the US at A+R in Los Angeles for $195.

Above: With the table pulled out, the String System creates a small dining area for two.

Above: Designed to complement any scheme, String accessories, including the cabinets and magazine shelf shown here, come in many different finishes including birch, oak, and walnut, and in black, gray, and white.

Above: The design works well in more classical interiors, too. Here, String birch shelving adds warmth and a contemporary touch to a serene white kitchen.

Above: String Shelves are also great for the office, bath, kids' room, and living room. They're shown here in the world's nicest garage. See more at String.

Above: Janet swears by Orskov Glassware from Denmark. Made of heat-proof borosilicate, the glasses are available in five sizes, ranging from Mini ($30 for a set of six) to XXLarge ($56 for a set of six) from A+R Store in Los Angeles.

Above: Meredith is the proud owner of a set of gray Iittala Kartio tumblers, a classic by Finnish designer Kaj Franck. The glasses are available in two sizes: the 7-Ounce Kartio Tumbler is $22 for a set of two and the 13-Ounce Kartio Tumbler is $27.99 for a set of two from Amazon. Available in clear, gray, apple green, sea blue, and light blue. Read about the companion Teema Tableware by Franck in Object Lessons.

Above: Julie and Sarah both sip from the Oaxacan-style Dosa Tumbler, imported from Mexico by designer Christina Kim; $4.25 each from OK.

Above: A new addition to our wish lists: Japanese Drinking Glasses made of soda-lime glass by Sasaki, a Japanese glassware company in business since 1876. They come in two sizes: a set of six 7.4-ounce Japanese drinking glasses is $28, and a set of six 11.3-ounce glasses is $34 from Kaufmann Mercantile.

Above: When crowds descend, we like the stacking Vaken Glasses from Ikea; a set of four is $4.99.

Above: From iconic French company Duralex, the tempered Chopes Unie Glass is $31 for a set of six from Heath Ceramics. The glasses are also available for $7 NZD ($5.28 US) each from Father Rabbit in New Zealand.

Above: Justine is a longtime fan of the Spanish wine glass. West Elm is now carrying Bodega Glassware from Bormioli Rocco in Spain, made of tempered glass and currently marked down. Sold by the dozen (L to R): Modern Red Wine Glasses are $14 for a set of 12 (down from $18), Highball Glasses are $24 for 12 (down from $30), and Double Old-Fashioned Glasses are $28 for 12 (down from $36).

Above: A recent entry to the scene from the Williams-Sonoma Open Kitchen collection, Kitchen Tumblers, made in Portugal of soda lime glass, are $24 for a set of six Short Tumblers and $30 for a set of Tall Tumblers.

Above: The micro-thin Marta Barware line from CB2 is well priced and appealing; prices start at $1.50 for the Marta Juice Glass.

Above: Scott & Scott Architects designed the 25-seat restaurant using economical and readily available materials, such as stained plywood, painted concrete, soaped beech, and galvanized metal. "We were trying to balance looks and durability," says David. "The beech [counter, chairs, and table], for instance, will age comfortably and can be easily refinished over the restaurant's life."

Above: Open storage behind the bar provides easy access to tableware. Large windows draw in light, and at night the space is illuminated by linear pendant fixtures. Photograph by Stephen Wilde.

Above: The architects designed the lights and fabricated them in their studio. "We started with a design that utilized beech at the ends only, but when we received the full-length dowels from the wood turner, we couldn't bring ourselves to cut them into short chunks." Photograph by Stephen Wilde.

Above: Made with local ingredients, Phoonchai's street-food and home-style dishes take center stage against white tableware. Photograph by Stephen Wilde.

Above: Situated at the back of a nondescript strip mall, Kin Kao, it's hoped, will serve a community of shop workers and employees from local manufacturing and commercial businesses. Photograph by Stephen Wilde.

Above: The custom cerulean blue concrete floor is tinted with a commercial acrylic paint from Vancouver's General Paint. "We honed in on the exact blue by trying out a number of samples," says David. "We like this one because it resonates with the natural light in the space."

Above: The bar is made of construction-grade Douglas fir plywood washed with a thinned application of the blue floor paint.

Above: The service area walls are finished with galvanized panels for easy maintenance. They act as a magnet board for hanging the daily specials.

Above: The grain of the plywood is visible through the wash of floor paint.

Above: Chef Tang Phoonchai is originally from Bangkok and draws heavily on the food of his childhood. Photograph by Stephen Wilde.

Above L: An axonometric drawing of the restaurant. Above R: The plan illustrates the dining area's flexible table and seating setup, which allows the room to be used for small seatings or reconfigured for communal meals.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/painted-plywood-at-kin-kao-restaurant-vancouver-designed-by-scott-and-scott-architectsWed, 25 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Christine Chang HanwayPullout ironing boards are ideal for small-space living situations. Here are six good options from high to low (installation required).

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/domestic-science-built-in-ironing-boardsTue, 24 Feb 2015 08:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonBefore the advent of synthetic cleaning cloths and paper towels, the cotton cleaning cloth was the scullery maid’s weapon of choice when attending to a spill. The cloth was dampened slightly then pushed around the floor, using foot or bended knee, to clean up the area in question. These days, there's still no need to get out a bucket and mop (or armful of paper towels) when a cleaning cloth can perform the same duty with less fuss and waste. Tightly woven with a subtly attractive stripe, the cloth is not only presentable but durable: It likes to be washed and actually improves with age. Which is more than you can say about its modern descendants. Fortunately, the classic is making a comeback.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/object-lesson-old-fashioned-cotton-cleaning-clothsTue, 24 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Megan WilsonHow elegant: the Tip trash bin from Konstantin Grcic (the Berlin-based design star) for German company Authentics. The Tip has an open/shut mechanism on the outside, which obviates the need for an interior liner can ("a good deal of attention went into the lifting mechanism," Grcic says). It's made of polypropylene and available in three sizes and a range of colors.

Above: The Tip 30 Liter is the largest size; it's €69 ($78.25) at Authentics.

Above: The Tip 15 Liter, sized for kitchen or office, is €49 ($55.56) from Authentics. For bathrooms, there's also a Tip 7 Liter; €29 ($32.89).

Above: The bin in action.

Above: A removable ring corrals trash bags. See the line at Authentics.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/the-tip-pedal-trash-bin-by-konstantin-grcic-for-authenticsTue, 24 Feb 2015 04:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonDon't judge me by what I'm about to tell you, but when I painted my apartment white last winter, I just slopped the paint over existing dirt and dust. It felt criminal, but the act was a genuine two-for-one: a painting and spring cleaning combo. (I should also tell you that my apartment already had 20-plus layers of paint, no doubt lead- and VOC-ridden, and I'm pretty sure other slapdash painters before me had allowed their own dirt to fossilize in the walls.)

I know it's been said before, but it's so true: A fresh coat of white paint does wonders for a room. Take this European laundry room; entirely white, it has affordable, customized storage solutions and an overall design that's accessible and replicable. Here are all the key elements needed to re-create the clean-slate look.

Above: White walls and polished concrete floors serve as the backdrop for the all-white laundry room. Photograph from Living in Design Land.

The Basics

Above: Ikea's Sektion Base Cabinet, $193, is part of the new Sektion series of kitchen cabinet components, which includes overhead shelving that can be used for creating a companion wall-hung setup. Ikea's in-store advisers can help you devise a customized plan for your space.

The Accessories

Above: The Sac à Linge Canvas is a white-painted canvas laundry bag that I own and love. The white paint gives the laundry bag more structure than your average canvas bag and there's a removable cotton lining; €64 ($72.86) from Lili's in France.

Above: A longstanding Remodelista favorite, Ikea's Sockerärt Vase is made of enameled steel and can be used as a pitcher or vase; $9.99 for the 6-inch-tall size, $19.99 for the 12-inch size.

Above: A set of Two Nesting Rope Baskets, handmade from cotton rope, are $165 from Marie Marie Knits on Etsy. Another option is Ikea's Komplement Baskets, square crocheted storage baskets, that are $42.49 for a set of three.

Above: A simple frame in the Geneva home of Francois Curiel, president of Christie's Europe, via The Selby. For something similar, consider the Document Frame from Umbra; the 11-by-14-inch frame in natural wood with two clear glass inserts is $76.71 from Amazon.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/6-simple-ways-to-hang-artMon, 23 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonSo you've found your perfect coffeemaker and mastered the ideal grind, but what about the filter? Until my recent stop at Verve Coffee Roasters in Santa Cruz, I thought the only options were paper or permanent (the metal mesh variety). It turns out that cloth might be the filter of choice for coffee brewers in the know.

Above: Cloth coffee filters are reusable, brew with more body than paper filters (and without the paper taste), and allow through less sediment than metal mesh filters. All they require is a rinse with water and storage in an air-tight container after use. Photograph via Verve Coffee Roasters.

Skeptical? Perhaps a test is in order. Coffee Geek attests that "when you make the move from paper to cloth, you notice the difference immediately." Cloth allows more oils to pass through into the cup and results in "a great balance in between an unfiltered French press and a paper-filtered brew. The result is a clean, full-bodied cup." Watch Verve Coffee Roasters' Cloth Filter Pour-Over Tutorial.

Above: From Japanese company Hario, the Woodneck Manual Pour-Over Coffee Brewer comes with a cloth filter. The design consists of a glass carafe with a two-piece wooden collar held together by a leather tie. The cloth filter is attached to a metal hoop with a wooden handle, and rests on the rim of the pot. The ensemble is available in two sizes: 8 and 16 ounce; $39.95 and $50, respectively, from Verve Coffee Roasters.

Above: A Chemex user? Consider replacing your square paper filters with the CoffeeSock for Chemex Cloth Filter made in the US of two-ply organic cotton. Sized to fit the 6-, 8-, and 10-cup Chemex models, they require a slightly finer grind than you use with Chemex paper filters; $15.48 for a package of two at Prima Coffee.

Above: Cloth filters can also be used in standard drip coffee machines in lieu of paper or permanent filters. Photograph via Stems and All.

Above: These Reusable Cotton Flannel Drip Coffee Filters are made of 100 percent organic cotton unbleached, undyed, dense flannel and organic cotton thread, and are bias-taped to prevent them from collapsing. Available in sizes 2 and 4; $10 and $12, respectively, from Etsy shop Wheatberry.

Above: Averse to cotton? Consider reusable Hemp Coffee Filters offered in standard drip-maker filter sizes (2, 4, and 6), as well as basket shapes; $7.49 to $7.98 each (depending on size) at the Grass Roots Store.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/accessories-cloth-coffee-filtersMon, 23 Feb 2015 04:00:00 -0800Janet HallThis sexy, minimalist overhaul is the work of interior and furniture designer Jacek Kolasiński of Loft Szczecin, a firm based in Szczecin, Poland (an hour and a half north of Berlin). The grand structure was used as a hospital during the Berlin Wall era and then fell to ruin. It's since been converted into four residences; this one belongs to a family of four, who gave Kolasiński total freedom to do it up—with restraint.

"My concept was to use classic Bauhaus elements from the twenties and combine them with Scandinavian designs and some Polish accents," says Kolasiński. Above L: A Vitra chaise found nearby in an old warehouse under a pile of windows and newly reupholstered. Above R: Gubi's Semi Pendants, a 1968 design by Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup, hang in the entry, which is furnished with a bench and wall-hung key cabinet by Kolasiński, who told us, "The chest is used to store shoes; it was inspired by old Polish dowry chests."

Above: In the living room, leather sofas supplied by the owners stand under a Bent Chandelier by New York architecture firm Workstead. The framed posters are by Polish artists from the fifties and seventies—bringing to light work from his country is one of Kolasiński's missions.

Above: The black midcentury sideboard is another of the many pieces Kolasiński bought at auction and had restored in Poland—Loft Szczecin also sells refurbished Danish, Czech, and Polish furniture from the twenties, fifties, and sixties and is a source worth discovering.

Above: A view into the kitchen.

Above: Gubi's Ronde Pendants by German designer Oliver Schick hang over the family table in the streamlined eat-in kitchen.

Above: The wide floorboards are oak with an oil finish.

Above: The apartment overlooks parkland. Kolasiński had the curtain rods fabricated by a locksmith—"thanks to a very special construction, installation elements are not visible." All the apartment curtains are sheer linen sewn in Poland.

Above: Kolasiński made the table in the formal dining room with Vitra legs purchased at auction. The chairs came out of Kodak's old Berlin headquarters. The hanging lights are by UK designer Samuel Wilkinson for Decode.

Above: The plates on the wall are vintage Polish designs: "They're the work of some of the best Polish sculptors and graphic artists," says Kolasiński.

Above L and R: The chairs are backed in velvet of varying shades.

Above: Gray linen upholstery and bedding in the master bedroom. The angled oak bed and bedside table are Kolasiński designs. The bed linens are by Polish company Yelen.

Above: Kolasiński's designs for the house were fabricated by Marcin Wyszecki at Loft Szczecin's workshop in Poland using joinery and other traditional techniques. "Carpenter-made wooden furniture creates a cozy atmosphere in the apartment," says Kolasiński.

Above: Kolasiński cloaked the bathroom in shades of fog and designed the oak chaise and sink cabinet. The wash basin is a Philippe Starck design for Duravit. The walls here and throughout the apartment are treated with limewash paint—go to Remodeling 101 to learn about the age-old material and how to use it.

Above: The room is anchored by an extra-tall painted baseboard highlighted with a stripe. The steel and wood chair is Swedish design firm Afteroom's "homage to the functionalism."

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/a-sexy-minimalist-remodel-in-berlin-by-jacek-kolasiski-of-loft-in-polandMon, 23 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickThis week, as we gaze at our own winter clutter and vow to simplify, we're delving into the virtues of clean living.

Above: LA interior designer Michaela Scherrer's own house is unified by shades of white: "If you have different colors and things are in disarray, it's obvious," she points out. "If you have one color and things are in disarray, it just looks artistic." Tour her Pasadena bungalow in the Remodelista book and see more of her Guest Suite (shown here), including the world's tiniest spa bath. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Monday

Above: In today's Designer Visit, take a look at the apartment we think 50 Shades of Grey should have been set in.

Thursday

Friday

Above: Ready to achieve the clutter-free life? In Expert Advice, Carmella Rayone of Assortment explains how to rid yourself of all the stuff you don't need. And Carmella would know: She and her family of five downsized several years ago to a 665-square-foot cabin. Take a look at their 13-Foot Kitchen with a Place for Everything. Photograph of Workstead architects Stefanie Brechbuehler and Robert Highsmith's upstate NY home office by Matthew Williams from the Remodelista book.

What's that intoxicating fragrance? Over at Gardenista, this week's topic is The Power of Scent.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/current-obsessions-february-21-2015-fifty-shades-of-beigeSat, 21 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Remodelista TeamI like to see how other people store their kitchen knives. It's a detail I often zero in on when visiting a new kitchen or looking at photos of kitchens. Are the knives tucked away in a stealth in-drawer block? Or are they out in the open in a traditional countertop block, or suspended from a magnetic strip?

Recently, I spotted a knife storage solution that, after hours of online searching, I realized is entirely bespoke: a leather knife rack mounted to the side of a kitchen island. I had to have one, so I made my own. With a pliable piece of leather, it's a pretty simple thing to create, and you can tailor each loop in the rack to fit your own needs—no advanced knife skills necessary.

Instructions

Step 1: Flip the leather over so that the inside of the hide faces up. Sand your pieces of wood, place atop the leather, and eyeball how you'll wrap it. Measure, mark a pattern, and then cut to your liking.

Step 2: On each end of the wooden block, trim the leather so that it can be wrapped tightly against the wood. If your leather is on the thinner side, you can wrap the ends of the wood as you would a gift box, folding it over itself. If your leather is a thicker cut, as mine was, you'll want to make L-shaped cutouts so that you don't have unnecessary excess. If you're using soft wood and leather, you can secure each section with a simple pushpin. If the wood is hard and the leather is thick, you'll want to puncture your leather with an awl and use a nail to create a hole before applying a pushpin.

Step 3: Once you've pinned down each end of the wood, fully wrap the block overlapping the leather on the side that won't show (and trimming as necessary). Secure the leather in place with a series of evenly spaced pushpins (I used three).

Step 4: Flip over the block to the display side. To create the knife holder, cut a strip of leather that is about one-inch thick (or adjust as desired; leave extra length so that there's room for error). Pin down one end of the strip in the center of the block about an inch from the end.

Step 5: Push the leather against itself until it makes a loop. Secure the loop in place with a pushpin, and then continue making loops and pinning them down, adjusting each to your liking, until you're an inch from the end. Consider customizing your knife rack to your own set of knives and kitchen tools: I created one large loop to hold my kitchen scissors, and smaller, tighter loops for my knives.

Step 6: To mount the finished rack on the wall, there are a variety of options: You can hang it like a picture frame using a length of wire and pushpins on the back, you can nail the entire piece to the wall, or you can nail two sawtooth hangers on the back and hook them onto the wall (the approach I took).

The Finished Look

Above: The knife rack hangs next to my stove for easy access to kitchen shears and paring knives. An alternative option is to nix the wooden block altogether and create an all-leather knife holster that hangs directly on the wall—something that I hope to try in my next apartment.

Above: "Are you sick of hearing that succulents are 'easy' when the only thing yours do reliably is die?" asks Michelle. Her solution: Get the right ones for the job. In this week's 10 Easy Pieces, she presents the best succulents for indoors and out, and how to keep them happy,

Above: The classic Butterfly Chair is one of the key ingredients in a Marfa, Texas, indoor/outdoor house with Donald Judd–style privacy screens. Investigate the former dance hall and learn where to source its designs in Steal This Look.

Above: Did you know that lavender is a drought-tolerant plant? See examples of it thriving from Albuquerque to Athens in Purple Haze, today's Outdoor Gardens post.

Above: Required Reading: a 1970s bible for gardeners with postage-stamp plots, now updated.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/trending-on-gardenista-high-style-drought-gardening-february-2015Fri, 20 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Remodelista TeamAfter working in the fashion industry in New York for 15 years, Christina Hattler (an attendee of Pratt Institute) moved to Mexico, where she met her future husband, Tomás Macedo, a lawyer. Together, the couple founded Mexchic in 2006, which they run out of their home base in the town of Malinalco, southwest of Mexico City, specializing in modern, everyday designs in collaboration with area artisans.

"We stringently follow the guidelines set by the World Fair Trade Organization and are part of the Slow movement," says Hattler. "We pride ourselves on creating low-impact, socially and ecologically responsible, handmade, high-end products with original designs."

Here's a glimpse of Mexchic's home goods collection, which ranges from rugs to pillows and blankets.

Above: An array of Mexchic designs, including a Wool Shag Rug, wool pillows, and blankets in gray and cream color schemes. The company sells its products directly and ships worldwide (shipping is free to the US and Canada).

Above: The Stella Lines Embroidered Blanket in Triangle, $300, is hand-loomed and embroidered by women in Malinalco. The limited-edition design is inspired by the work of painter Frank Stella and ancient Aztec and Mayan grecas. The blankets come in a choice of cream or gray, with embroidery in olive (shown), cream, gray, or black.

Above: The Wool Cotorin Rug in Bone is $190 for the medium size (shown) and $385 for the large.

Above: A Palomita Rug in pink; $250, part of a collection of shag weavings inspired by 1960s plush rugs.

Above: Palomita Wool Shag Rugs come in three sizes and start at $250. "The artisan who weaves these rugs also cleans, spins, and dyes his own wool and therefore is able to attain this interesting and beautiful one-of-a-kind handmade texture," says Hattler.

Above: The Palomita Hand-Loomed Blanket comes in cream and gray wool. The blanket measures 77 by 149 inches (queen size) and has an 8.5-inch-long fringe on three sides; $350. To see more of the collection, visit Mexchic.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/mexchic-pillows-throw-blankets-and-other-accessoriesFri, 20 Feb 2015 04:00:00 -0800Izabella SimmonsAt their ranch in stark Sonora, Mexico, designers Jorge Almada and Marie-Anne Midy have perfected their own brand of rough-hewn but impeccably detailed luxury. The couple are the brains behind Casamidy, a furniture company in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, that helped launch saddle leather and heavy canvas seating into the vanguard. Almada and Midy themselves and their two young sons are based in Brussels, but Mexico is their home away from home—they have a place in San Miguel, and Almada spent memorable stretches of his childhood at a ranch his father once owned in Sonora. On a visit back to the area, an aunt of Almada's invited the family to reestablish roots in Sonora by building a casita on her ranch.

Designed by Almada and Midy and constructed in 10 months, the Casamidy compound is as polyglot as they are, a combination hacienda and Belgian country house. It's located about an hour due south of Bisbee, Arizona, in the Sierra Madre mountain range, one of the few places in Mexico where it snows on occasion. Come cross the border and take a look.

Photography by Jorge Almada.

Above: The front porch serves as an outdoor living room with furniture upholstered in Casamidy's signature waxed canvas.

The ranch setting is remote, and it's a study in contrasts: "Both blistering hot and very cold; bone dry and monsoonal," says Almada. So the trick was come up with a practical design that works year-round. "We used the materials on hand, brick and concrete, as well as the local talent—masons who are also cowboys."

Above: A fine place to hang your hats, the double-height main room, with its painted brick and exposed beams, was inspired by the "clean, angular, pointy-roofed look" of classic Flemish architecture. Its palette of white and green with accents of brown leather and black stripes carries through in every room. Casamidy designs, including the Sayulita Table, folding Grenadier Side Chairs, and Sonora Mirror, are mingled with San Miguel antiques and family pieces. The floor is poured cement with cracking and the occasional footprint. The windows are sculpted iron, and, like much of the fine work, were executed by Casamidy's highly skilled San Miguel crew.

The house is off the grid and heated by wood-burning stoves, including a giant one in the living room. "We have a generator that runs from sunset to bedtime, and our water comes from a perforated well and is very, very clean," says Almada.

Above: The "Sonora green" of the rafters is applied to the rustic door frames. The woven leather chair is a Casamidy classic.

Above: The house has a camp kitchen with bodega chairs and table and Metro-style shelving (from Costco) for enamelware. In lieu of a fridge, food is stored in a cooler.

Above: The painted headboard in the master bedroom is festooned with Mexican carved wood flowers. The beds in the casita all have plaid sheets modeled after the "grime-hiding" bedding Almada remembers admiring as a boy on a visit to a historic submarine.

Above: The master bath doubles as a lounge. The Portofino Chaise (in a Toiles du Soleil black and white stripe) stands on a custom rug bearing the family cattle brand. The Sonora green armoire has Casamidy's round Altamura Pulls of iron and stitched leather.

Above: The highlight of the room is a hammered Copper Tub from Counter Cultures, "a wink to the nearby copper mines of Cananea and Bisbee," says Almada. The leather-hung mirror is Casamidy's Pila Seca design.

Above L: A Casamidy filigreed sofa faces the living room fireplace that the family dubbed the Locomotive. Above R: The Hiver mirror of sculpted wrought iron.

Above: Accessed by ladder from the main room, the boys' bunk is in a loft. ("It feels like a treehouse, but it's hell for us to go up with laundry," says Almada, "so we plan to install a pulley system.") The camp beds are Casamidy's Altamura design of wrought iron cloaked in waxed canvas. (See more of the line in our post Indoor/Outdoor Furniture Made from Salvaged Canvas.) The list of words on the wall are Almada and Midy's behavior reminders for their sons.

Above: Enamelware designs crop up throughout the casita. Almada says the chests of drawers "have been in my family forever."

Above: Days at the ranch are spent riding, picnicking, and kicking back on the veranda.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/casamidy-ranch-in-sonora-mexico-jorge-almada-and-anne-marie-midyFri, 20 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickCreative director Jakob Daschek is Swedish, fashion stylist Barbara Abbatemaggio is Italian, and their overhauled NYC kitchen, designed by architect Lauren Wegel, an Annabelle Selldorf protégé, caters to both of their sensibilities. "Jakob's aesthetic is modern, while Barbara often prefers rustic, romantic spaces with lots of warmth and comfort," says Wegel, "so we took a rustic-modern approach."

Above: After nixing the idea of opening up the kitchen to the dining room—"it just didn't work with the prewar apartment layout," says Wegel—she transformed the 7-by-11-foot space into a bright, spic-and-span galley. Sink, dishwasher, range, and work surfaces are all conveniently within arm's reach of each other.

The fridge (a Blomberg) and tall cabinets are tucked on the opposite wall. The custom cabinets have an ash veneer—chosen for its open grain and Scandi vibe—with cutout integral pulls (rather than hardware) to streamline the narrow space. The counters are 1 1/4-inch honed Carrara marble—"a bit of home for Barbara," says Wegel—and the floor is tiled with honed statuary and black marble in a basket-weave pattern from Complete Tile. The range and hood are by Italian company Bertazzoni—"they make great ovens that have a Wolf look but are slightly less expensive," says Wegel. See 5 Favorites: High-Style Italian Cooking Ranges for sources. The hood came with the integral pot rack, which Jakob and Barbara love.

Above: A view from the dining room. To give the kitchen a clean look, Wegel tiled the walls in inexpensive 4.25-by-4.25-inch white Metro squares (about $3.50 per square foot) from Nemo Tile. They have dark grout to play up the grid and because, Wegel says, "white grout reminds me of McDonald's and doctor's exam rooms." The white farmhouse sink, a Porcher design sourced online, has a classic Chicago Wall-Mounted Faucet, a Remodelista favorite—see 10 Easy Pieces: Best Budget Kitchen Faucets. And if you like the look of the chandelier glimpsed over the table, go to High/Low: Arctic Pear Chandelier.

Above: Wegel turned a dumbwaiter into inset shelving: "Because of New York codes, we had to fireproof the hell out of that cavity."

Above: Barbara (who owns Sorelle Firenze with her sister) requested the open shelves; they're supported by Chrome Rods from Hafele. The globe lights are the Luna design from Schoolhouse Electric.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/before-after-architect-lauren-wegel-nyc-apartment-kitchen-remodelThu, 19 Feb 2015 08:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickCombat winter blues with an indoor kitchen herb garden: a few snips of flat Italian parsley, a sliver of sage, or a few cilantro leaves will add a bit of brightness to the table during the dark days.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/6-kitchens-with-built-in-herb-gardensThu, 19 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonWhen it comes to selecting kitchen backsplash materials, the abundance of options is daunting. As with the perfect outfit, a backsplash depends on the other pieces in the ensemble—notably the countertops. Here are five key questions to help you narrow the field and build a backsplash best suited to your setup.

1. Which comes first, the countertop or the backsplash?

There's no right answer to this question; even the experts disagree on the best approach. The key is to decide which of the two is more important to you. It may boil down to whether you have a dream material, or whether you favor functionality (countertop) or a focal point (backsplash) in your kitchen's design.

Whichever material you choose first, there's no arguing that the first selection will drive the second. The two materials meet at the wall line, so the general rule is they ought to coordinate or complement each other in color and texture.

Countertop First: "In my opinion, backsplashes are not the most important elements and should be selected only after other decisions are made," says architect Elizabeth Roberts of Elizabeth Roberts Design/Ensemble Architecture. "Countertops and cabinets come first." Not as easily switched out as backsplashes, countertops need to be hard-wearing (for use as a work surface) and are typically also the bigger investment in terms of budget, kitchen real-estate coverage, and longevity.

Backsplash First: Interior designer Alison Davin of Jute Design believes that the backsplash decision should always come first: "The backsplash is more of a focal point because of its placement," she says. "The countertop should complement the backsplash."

Above: A third option is to use the same material for both the countertop and backsplash to create a unified look. Elizabeth Roberts chose veined marble for the countertop and backsplash—carried all the way up the wall—in this Brooklyn townhouse.

2. What look are you after: a statement or subtlety?

As its name suggests, a backsplash is there to protect the wall from splashes (not to mention cooking grease). But unlike the counter, it doesn't need to accommodate hot pans, sharp knives, and food prep. So the choice is largely an aesthetic one—with many, many possibilities. Whittle down the choices by zeroing in on the effect you're after. And keep in mind that countertops and backsplashes shouldn't both compete for attention, only one should be statement-making.

Above: Contrasting patterns and textures of handmade blue-and-white Fez encaustic cement tiles (from Granada Tile in Los Angeles) bring the backsplash to life in the Biscuit Filmworks kitchen in Los Angeles by Shubin + Donaldson (featured in the Remodelista book). The countertops are gray-veined Carrara marble. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Remodelista.

Toy with Texture

Above: Neutral backsplashes can be dialed up with an interesting surface, as shown in this San Francisco kitchen by Medium Plenty that features white tiles with origami-like folds. Photograph by Mariko Reed.

3. How much cleaning and maintenance can you handle?

An often overlooked issue when considering backsplashes is the day-to-day cleaning requirements of different materials. This may only be pertinent in the areas behind the stove and sink, but it's important. Gather information about how to clean the materials you're considering. Tiled backsplashes have grout that can collect dust and grime. Solid slabs lack dirt-gathering seams, but some natural stone materials can react poorly to grease and other cooking byproducts. And will that glimmering glass or stainless backsplash require nonstop polishing?

Above: Dark cabinets pair well with a backsplash of Lava Stone tiles from Danish company Made a Mano. Lava stone's best attributes include its lack of maintenance: It doesn't require a sealant or treatment. Read more in our Lava Stone Countertop Primer.

4. Where will the backsplash go?

A backsplash generally covers the space between the kitchen counter and the upper cabinetry. It might wrap the entire kitchen or just be a small rectangle along one wall. Consider the size of your space when making a backsplash choice. Do you have no upper cabinets and want a backsplash that reaches the ceiling? Or do you want to limit the backsplash to high-use areas, such as behind the stove, sink, and kitchen desk?

Above: In the LA kitchen of designer Amanda Pays and actor Corbin Bernsen, backsplash tiles are limited to the area behind the stove. The patterned concrete tiles create a focal point that complements the gray concrete countertops and white cabinetry. Photograph by Matthew Williams. Tour the Pays/Bernsen kitchen in the Remodelista book, and take a look at the adjoining laundry room .

5. What's your budget?

Knowing what you want to spend helps whittle down the possibilities. Here are some tips to help control costs:

Choose classic materials that won't go out of style. White ceramic tiles, for instance, offer a great bang for your buck in terms of cost and longevity.

Consider using an affordable neutral field tile or stainless sheeting for the majority of the backsplash paired with a statement tile in a smaller focal point.

Natural materials, such as marble, are often much more affordable as tiles rather than slabs.

Be flexible and look for a bargain. At tile stores and even on Craigslist, it's often possible to find tile seconds and overstock, as well as discontinued patterns and colors at a significant savings.

Above: Affordable white ceramic field tile can be anything but boring. The tiles in this backsplash are twice as long as standard subway tiles and are installed in a herringbone pattern. For more ideas, see White Tile Pattern Glossary. Photograph by Nicole Franzen.

Above: A decision to use Calacatta marble (not to be confused with less pricey Carrara) for the countertops in a San Francisco kitchen by Medium Plenty required that cost savings be found elsewhere. The client found the backsplash's Dimensional Crease tiles marked down by 75 percent at a seconds sale at Heath Ceramics. Photograph by Mariko Reed.

Above: As he remodeled his own house, Ian Read, a founding partner of Medium Plenty, practiced what he preached: flexibility. "Our kitchen tiles were seconds because the color variation was more than what Heath Ceramics typically allows for in variance and the shapes of the tile themselves were more irregular than the norm. There were also some surface pockmarks that we are more than happy to live with," says Read. "There are different approaches to sorting the variations and you can either group like tones or randomize them. In our kitchen we went for the randomized approach." For more tips, see Tile Intel: A Budget Remodel with Heath Seconds. Photograph by Melissa Kaseman.

Above: The Greybelle Tuumia White Stool from Le Marché St. George (a salvaged fir beam stool with a felted wool cover and leather strap) is $350 CAD ($282.26 USD). Take a look at some of our other Trend Alerts:

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/trend-alert-9-ways-to-add-bohemian-texture-to-your-interiorsWed, 18 Feb 2015 08:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonWhenever we're looking for tabletop and entertaining ideas, we turn to the family of artists behind Le Marché St. George of Vancouver. Sisters Janaki and Klee Larsen, and Janaki's husband, Pascal Roy, jointly own the combination corner cafe and market, where, amid the refrigerator cases, they know how to throw a rustic-chic party. Over the years they've also started offering hard-to-source housewares that are a celebration of natural colors and materials. We were happy to discover that their shop has just launched online—and one of the attractions is their own work.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/le-march-st-george-vancouver-now-onlineWed, 18 Feb 2015 04:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickAccording to psychologist Barry Schwartz, the secret to happiness is having less to choose from. In his book The Paradox of Choice (Harper Perennial), Schwartz describes how choice ultimately leads to paralysis. If you've ever spent hours sleuthing for something as seemingly simple as the perfect teakettle, you know this is certainly the case.

So we've taken notes from each other, sifted through all the options, and narrowed down our selection to 13 classic teakettles. Have one to add to the list? Let us know in the Comments section below.

Above: The hand-spun anodized aluminum Traditional Kettle with British oak handle from the Netherton Foundry in the Shropshire countryside is £140 ($214.94) from Another Country.

Above: Venerable Belgium company Demeyere makes a high-gloss finish Stainless Steel Teakettle; $65 for the small size (4.19 quarts) and $84.95 for the large (6.28 quarts) at All Modern.

Above: Alexa and Francesca both swear by the Staub Theiere Teapot, available in black cast iron as well as a range of enameled jewel-like colors (cherry, basil, grenadine, aubergine); $164.99 at Amazon. Photograph from Distinctive Decor.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/10-favorites-rooms-with-shocking-colorTue, 17 Feb 2015 08:00:00 -0800Meredith SwinehartJill Reynolds and Daniel Spitzer, a married glass-making couple, launched Malfatti Glass in Beacon, NY, after friends admired a wonky handblown glass that Jill made on a lark. In homage to the oddly formed drinking vessels they produce, the couple named their company Malfatti, which means "badly formed" in Italian.

Above: An assortment of shapes and sizes is available. Malfatti's wares are made of lightweight but durable borosilicate glass, the same material used for labware.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/malfatti-glass-in-beacon-nyTue, 17 Feb 2015 06:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonBrice and Helen Marden, one of the longstanding royal couples of the New York art world, divide their time between their city studios and an estate in rural Tivoli, in upstate New York. They also dabble in real estate—they have a house in Hydra, Greece, and own the lush Golden Rock Inn in Nevis. And so, when Tivoli's beloved old hotel and restaurant, the Madalin, went dark, they stepped up and bought it, transforming its Victorian B&B interior into a light, bright, art-filled clubhouse for locals and creatives. The Wall Street Journal likened the project to Martin Scorsese deciding to run a diner.

The Madalin's transformation into the Hotel Tivoli was a family affair—the Mardens' photographer daughter, Mirabelle, joined brainstorming meetings (she's the one who suggested tinting the Douglas fir floors purple). And she paired her parents with her high school friend Laura Flam, an interior designer, who, with her colleagues at Reunion Goods & Services, orchestrated the overhaul. "The place is an extension of the Mardens' lives," says Flam, "They're into color and surprisingly open to risk."

Above: The Corner, the hotel's restaurant and bar, occupies the ground floor and the guests rooms are on the second floor. Midcentury Italian armchairs from eBay furnish the bar lounge.

The interior of the hotel was largely preserved. Instead of major construction, the plan was to combat the gloom with a white and gray backdrop. But not just any gray: Brice mixed his own blend by doctoring an undisclosed Benjamin Moore gray with a bit of cadmium orange oil paint. The floors were treated with purple paint that was applied and then dragged to create a subtle finish.

Above: Three of the five principals at Reunions Goods & Services, including Flam, got their start working for Roman & Williams. They were able to flex their muscles the most in the bar, which is clad in Fior de Pesco, a dramatically veined marble (known affectionately around here as ugly marble). Discovered at ABC Worldwide Stone in Brooklyn, it was cut locally. Brice found the vintage pink Murano glass pendant light at Skalar in nearby Hudson, New York.

Above: "The marble has two stripes running across it, one fuchsia, the other purple," Flam told us. "We wanted each color to be showcased but not in an overly bookmatched way. On the bottom of the bar, you can see the fuchsia modeling, and the top is patterned in dark purple—it runs across it like a lighting streak. The rest of the restaurant is very calm. The marble is the big moment." The stools are Moroso's Around the Roses design. (To see more patterned marble, go to Beyond Carrara: 12 Splashy Marble Bathrooms.)

Above: In the main dining room, a midcentury Sputnik light (which Brice also sourced at Skalar) hangs over a Jean Prouvé table and chairs. Note the Brice Gray on the window frames. The walls are a blush-colored plaster—"like Venetian plaster but not polished," says Flam.

Above: Moroccan tea glasses in the coffee station. Helen sourced the glasses and rugs in the hotel during her travels and also at Imports from Marrakech at New York's Chelsea Food Market.

Above: The restaurant opens off the entry hall, with stairs painted the same purple—Bistro Blue from Benjamin Moore—used to treat the floors in the bar and guest rooms.

Above: One end of the room has a red leather banquette lit with Alvar Aalto Bell pendants. After looking at "all the chairs in the world," says Flam, the team selected the stackable Cain Chair from Rochester, NY, design collective Staach: "It has very simple angles, it's comfortable, and the fact that it's made in New York won us over."

Above: Doors to the guest rooms have their original hardware, and each—now painted Brice Gray—has a hand-painted number on it. Photograph by Reunion Goods & Services.

Above: Each of the 10 rooms has a metal-framed Parsons Bed from Room & Board in a different color, plus its own bathroom. This room is called the Madeleine because Madeleine Albright stayed in it (in its previous incarnation) when she attended Chelsea Clinton's wedding in Rhinebeck. Photograph via WSJ.com.

Above: The throw pillows and blankets are from ABC Carpet & Home. The windows have sheer roman shades plus a blackout roller shade that can be pulled down at night. (See why we're sold on shades in Remodeling 101: Simple Roller Blinds.)

Above: Brice and Helen Marden in a second floor lounge (she's sitting on a chaise that they reupholstered in pink teddy bear fur). A portrait of Helen by Francesco Clemente hangs above her, and opposite one of her own paintings. Photograph via WSJ.com.

Above: The hotel is fronted by a porch and dining patio furnished with all-weather Lisboa Chairs from DWR. The designers made use of old iron fencing that the Mardens had in their garage and introduced a new metal hotel sign.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/brice-and-helen-mardens-hotel-tivoli-upstate-new-york-designed-by-reunion-goods-and-servicesTue, 17 Feb 2015 04:00:00 -0800Margot GuralnickAfter the birth of her second child, Boise, Idaho–based Jennifer Hagler of A Merry Mishap moved her office into her bedroom: "I wanted a small area to keep things or to work and get away from the rest of the family for a few quiet moments," she says. In a cleverly executed move (thanks to her husband), her formerly full-size Ikea desk now functions as a corner bedside table/workspace. Here's how to replicate the look.

Above: "My husband cut our old Ikea desktop down and attached it to the wall with a supporting bracket," Jennifer says.

Above: The corner functions as a spot for Jennifer to create a small mood board and keep papers and other sundries organized.

Above: Designed by Jan Piechac and Henry Wielgus for Menu, the My Spot Notice Board consists of three anchors, a weight, and a hanging cord. It's available in gold or black for $150 from Huset Shop.

Above: Stackable Swedese Spin Stools, available in white, black, and five colors, are $320 each from Huset.

Above: Bits and Bobs glass desktop containers from Hay are designed to hold paper clips and pushpins; prices start at $15 for the Mini Orange Bits and Bobs Container from A+R Store in Los Angeles.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/steal-this-look-an-instant-desk-bedside-table-from-a-merry-mishapTue, 17 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonMusic industry veteran Nora Natali got her retail start with an at-home pop-up shop last year inspired by the "coolest stores in Paris, namely Merci, Caravane, Colette, and Bon Marche." It was such a success that she's opened a permanent location in Studio City, LA, called Motti Casa. Her wares include indie furniture, vinyl records, books, and a bit of vintage. Thanks to our always-on-top-of-it friend Alexandra Loew for tipping us off.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/motti-casa-in-studio-cityMon, 16 Feb 2015 10:00:00 -0800Julie CarlsonThe most interesting houses tend to be in an eternal state of evolving. Such is the case with the Beverly Hills bungalow that film producer Carla moved into 16 years ago. Previously, she had a small place in Laurel Canyon but longed for a midcentury house. She found her solution when she spotted an early 1970s design that had been heavily decorated in "bad Santa Fe style" but was full of promise.

Enlisting the help of her architect friend Hagy Belzberg, a protégé of Frank Gehry's, Carla brought the place back to its original, pared-down, Schindler-inspired form. For the interiors, she worked with the late designer Milo Baglioni, who delivered exactly what she was after: orange shag, a B&B Italia glass-and-steel dining table, and Marimekko drapes in the bedroom.

Over the years, Carla continued to tweak the rooms, but when water damaged her terrazzo flooring, it was time for a second major reconstruction, which she undertook with the help of another architect friend Julie Hart. For the interiors, Carla (now with two young children in tow) realized she needed help, and, after spotting LA design firm Nickey Kehoe on Remodelista, she hired partner Todd Nickey to help her pull the rooms together for the next phase of her and her kids' lives. It's been a good match: "Todd and l are completely simpatico; he made the house look cohesive for the first time. The blend of the old, the new, the vintage, the sentimental, it just all feels organic now and it feels like me."

Above: This is LA: The open living room/dining room overlooks the pool. Adam Silverman ceramic pendant lights were previously hung throughout the space; to create a focal point, Todd clustered them over the Saarinen dining table.

Above: The table stands next to the U-shaped kitchen, which architect Julie Hart opened up to the dining room. After taking down the wall, she added built-in bookshelves that conceal the refrigerator on the other side. The photograph is by artist Laurie Simmons, a friend of Carla's (and mother of Lena Dunham).

Above: On the other side of the bookshelves, the fridge is wrapped in wood, connecting it to the teak cabinets and exposed beams. The countertop is made of CaesarStone—read about this miracle material in Remodeling 101: Engineered Quartz.

Above: The now-white breakfast room has seen several color incarnations over the years, including Hermès orange and indigo blue. As Todd explains, "It's one of our favorite spots in the house—the light is perfect in there. We were going to paint, but we all loved the serenity of the white too much." The Formica-topped table came from Carla's childhood home; it's paired with classic Breuer chairs and pendants by Adam Silverman.

Above: In the family room, white-framed family photos hang over vintage leather Togos sofas designed by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset. The slatted coffee table is a 1950s design; the vintage Moroccan rug is from Woven Accents of West Hollywood.

Above: The living area is set off by a gray-painted wall and sofa custom designed by Nickey Kehoe. To connect the fireplace with the room, Todd inserted a two-tiered ledge/bookshelf made of Douglas fir.

Above: The hall is lit by a long, narrow skylight original to the house.

Above: A BDDW Captain's Mirror sits above a vintage Paul McCobb dresser. Carla had a hat rack made with spacing far enough apart for wide brims. The papier-mâché hare is a recent addition picked up at the Nickey Kehoe Shop.

Monday

Above: Studio City in LA is newly happening: Our favorite cafe, Joan's on Third, recently opened a new branch on Ventura, Margot just made a pilgrimage to Magpi for colored huaraches, and, later today, in Shopper's Diary, Julie is dropping in at Motti Casa (shown here).

Tuesday

Above: Brice and Helen Marden have an arsenal of color at their fingertips and they aren't afraid to use it. In Tuesday's Lodging post, we check into the artists' new Tivoli, New York, hotel.

Wednesday

Above: Short, stout, and essential for braving the winter: To get through this week's cold snap, we're devoting 10 Easy Pieces to the best tea kettles.

Thursday

Above: Are you ready to mix patterns or do you prefer a seamless backdrop? And which materials work best? In Remodeling 101, Janet delves into the 5 Questions to Ask When Selecting a Backsplash.

Friday

Above: On Friday, Margot pays a House Call to Sonora, Mexico—where it snows, on occasion—to visit the high-style rustic ranch built by Jorge Almada and Marie-Anne Midy, the couple behind design studio Casamidy. For an inkling of their capabilities, take a look at their San Miguel Home Base and their Waxed Canvas and Leather Furniture.

It's Drought Week at Gardenista: Stay tuned for the best hearty succulents, ideas to steal from desert gardens, and how to use your own garden to help the environment.

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http://www.remodelista.com/posts/current-obsessions-la-vie-en-rose-february-14-2015Sat, 14 Feb 2015 02:00:00 -0800Remodelista TeamGraphic designer David Rager lived in Paris for several years with his wife, Cherie Messerli (together they designed several up-to-the-minute Parisian restaurants like Candeliaria, Glass, and Le Mary Celeste, to name a few), before moving back to LA recently. We asked him for a "stream of consciousness" tour of his favorite Parisian haunts. Here's his list of 11 don't-miss cafes, restaurants, and wine bars.

Above: "When we lived in the 9th arrondissement, Vivant (and later Vivant Cave) brightened the neighborhood. Vivant is housed in a former bird shop with the original beautiful walls still in place." Photograph via David Lebovitz.

Above: "Heimat is a new restaurant from Pierre Jancou (former owner of Vivant). It's located near the Palais Royale in the same building where Molière lived and died." Photograph via Simon Says.

Above: "Down the block is Verjus, which is always great. The wine bar on the ground floor is a good spot to pop in for a drink and a snack, and it's the only place in Paris where you'll find amazing fried chicken." Photograph via Verjus.

Above: "Also in the 9th is Autour d'un Verre, which was our favorite local hangout (solid home-cooked French food and an incredible natural wine list) and La Pointe du Grouin, which uses its own currency (we call it Grouin coins) and serves very reasonably priced meals and magnums of wine. It's amazingly insane." Photograph by Vin & Chere.

Above: "When we moved to the Place des Vosges, our go-to spot was Chez Janou, which is a good mix of tourists and locals. It's the kind of spot every neighborhood needs, open seven days a week (a rarity in Paris). The atmosphere is lively, the ratatouille is great, and the pastis menu is huge." Photograph via Monsieur Marcel.

Above: "James Henry's restaurant Bones is another spot we'd find ourselves at quite often. You can sit at the bar and order from the bar menu, which includes great wine and beer. Or you can plan in advance for one of the two seatings they do every night; the food can get quite adventurous." Photographh via the NY Times.

Above: "When we wanted something easy, we'd go to Grazie for a pizza and an Aperol spritz, or to Breizh Cafe for a crepe and cider." Photographs of Grazie, shown here, via Garance Dore.

Above: "Prior to Bones, James was at Au Passage, which is still great and is around the corner from Le Repaire de Cartouche (shown above), which recently converted their downstairs into a wine bar with a nice little menu."

Above: "Camille Fourmont's La Buvette on Rue Saint Maur is also a really cute/fun place to stop by for an apero, natural wines, and great small plates." Photographs via La Buvette.

Above: "Nearby, at Le Servan, a former tabac/PMU turned into a restaurant, I had one of my favorite meals of 2014."

Above: Looking for a locally grown and assembled bouquet? "Although 80 percent of cut flowers in the US are imported, thanks to the Slow Flowers movement, the number of local growers is on the rise," reports Michelle. Find standout florists from coast to coast in the 11 Best Sources for Valentine's Flowers.

Above: Paris's Maison et Objet design show is the harbinger of things to come. See this year's 15 Best Finds for the Spring Garden—and don't miss the new "plug-and-play vertical garden wall kit."

Above: "Victorian lovers sent coded messages to each other via houseplants (a gift of a scented geranium meant 'let's rendezvous')," writes Michelle. In 10 Romantic Houseplants for Valentine's Day, she explains how to speak the secret language of floriography.